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Encyclopædia Britannica Will Continue Black History Website
CHICAGO,02.27.1997
Encyclopaedia Britannica today said demand for its critically acclaimed "Britannica Guide to Black History" is so strong that it is extending its public availability. The site will remain at
http://blackhistory.eb.com through the end of May. It then will be moved to Britannica Online® (BOL), the company's Internet site, which is available through subscription.
"The Britannica Guide to Black History" features video clips from African-American history, such as civil-rights demonstrations, jazz singer Billie Holiday, and Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. The site also includes sound clips, such as a reading by the poet Gwendolyn Brooks, a speech by the Rev. Jesse Jackson, and an interview with Malcolm X.
It is structured like an exhibit in a museum of American history. Starting from the central image of a timeline, users can enter one of five rooms, or time periods. In each room they will find articles and photographs on notable people and events, extending from the slave revolts in early America to the Civil Rights Movement and affirmative action.
In addition to the audio-visual images, the site contains 565 articles and 300 photographs.
James E. Goulka, chief operating officer of Encyclopaedia Britannica said, "The site was designed to be useful to a wide variety of individuals, from students preparing assignments to people who want to learn more about this important area of history."
"The site truly highlights Britannica's ability to put events, people, and issues in context. It goes beyond the basic facts to provide the kind of rich, full historical perspective for which Britannica is known," continues Goulka. "We created 140 additional articles expressly for the site, and they will be incorporated into Britannica Online, providing even more comprehensive coverage of this key area."
"This will enhance our product offering to our BOL subscribers, which already contains the full text of the print encyclopedia along with photos, graphics and illustrations, as well as recent editions of the Britannica Book of the Year and Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary."
Britannica Online features direct links to more than 5,000 additional sources of information on the Internet, as well as special topical databases, such as "The American Presidential Election" and "Britannica Sporting Record: The Olympic Games," and other spotlight features and games.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. publishes the most authoritative and comprehensive encyclopedia in the English language in three forms: Britannica CD™(on CD-ROM); Britannica Online®(on the Internet); and the famous 32-volume Encyclopædia Britannica®; and the 12-volume Ready Reference. The company also offers eBLAST, a free Web navigation service featuring sites selected and described by Britannica editors. To purchase or get information about Britannica products, customers may call 1-800-747-8503.
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